RCMP's DRUG ENFORCEMENT AIDED BY ADDED MANPOWER

The addition of a plain-clothes drug officer has led to a 31 per cent
jump in drug charges, a city committee heard Friday.

"The full-time position has enabled us to put a greater emphasis on
drug enforcement," said Grande Prairie RCMP Sgt. Ray Noble.

"It's also an excellent resource for all of our uniformed members and
provides them with a resource and expertise to help them do a better
job themselves."

Drug offence charges totalled 208 for the end of Dec. 31, 1999
compared to 159 the year previously.

Noble and Const. Wendy Tollenaar appeared before the protective
services committee Friday to released the fourth quarter crime
statistics (October-December) and year-end results.

Other crime statistics stayed relatively the same. Total assaults for
1999 were 547 compared to 566 the previous year.

On the whole, offences against people (ie. assaults, robbery, sexual
assaults) slipped from 601 in 1998 to 565 in 1999 or a six per cent
decrease.

Break-ins for 1999 totalled 389 compared to 383 in 1998 or a two per
cent rise.

Thefts of motor vehicles experienced a 22 per cent hike from 276 in
1998 to 338 in 1999.

Total property offences amounted to 2,641 in 1999 from 2,668 in 1998
or a one per cent decrease.

Overall, statistics for total criminal code offences stayed relatively
the same. There were 5,504 offences in 1999 compared to 5,691 during
the previous year. That's a three per cent decrease.

"There's a general trend to go down in the stats, from one to three
per cent, which is a very minimal change," Noble said.

"We're following the national averages."